Now protests in Chamba against micro-hydel project
Vishal Singal
http://cities.expressindia.com/fullstory.php?newsid=217891
Ashwani Sharma
Shimla, January 15: Hardly a fortnight after protests against the
upcoming Karcham Wangtoo Hydel project in Kinnaur ended at Chief
Minister Virbhadra Singh's intervention, tension is now brewing on
the banks of the Ravi in Chamba district, bordering Punjab and Jammu &
Kashmir.
Fearing large-scale ecological damage and also drying up of two local
rivulets feeding a large rural population in the green Sal-Hull valley,
35 km from Chamba town, the villagers do not want the Hul hydel project
to come up in the area. The project, in the mini-micro category, stands
already awarded to a Hyderabad-based company.
The reports reaching Shimla say the company M/s Hul Hydro Electric
Project has already taken up the ground work at the site, allegedly
felling nearly two dozen standing trees from a community conserved
forest at Loyil village. This is despite the fact that the Gram Sabha
had already passed three unanimous resolutions, raising serious
objections against the project.
Says Rattan Chand, member of Zila Parishad currently spreading the
campaign against the project, "The biggest blow if the project is
allowed to come up will be to 40 traditional watermills which have
existed on two nullahs for more than half a century. Did not the
government realise what effect it's going to have on the earning of
the poor families and also would it not dry up the rivers once the
water is diverted?"
Chand recalls that the Silla Gharat Gram Panchyat had passed at least
five resolutions opposing the project. The villagers are not willing to
give their land. The rich forest belt preserved by the local community
will be destroyed, they say. There will be no water for drinking or
feeding cattle once the project company diverts this water, he alleges.
When contacted, Chamba's SP Upendra Thakur said similar protests from
the locals were also seen in the case of three other projects in the
nearby areas. The police were rushed to maintain order and persuade the
villagers. "However, in this case neither the company nor the villagers
have so far reported the matter to the administration," Thakur claimed.
Yet he added "informal reports do suggest that the villagers are
vehemently opposed to the project, fearing adverse effects on the
ecology and natural resources there."
Forest officials confirm felling of the trees at the site, which they
claim, was apparently done under the supervision of the HP State Forest
Corporation. These 20 full grown trees, were of the protected 'Ban'
specie. On strong objections by the locals, especially some Gujjar
women from the nearby village, the felling was stopped.
Rattan Chand claims that the work had been started in contravention
with the Panchayati Raj Act since none of the Gram Sabhas had issued a
"no objection certificate". Nearly 95 per cent of the people here are
heavily dependent on the forests for their survival. About 60 per cent
of the population is of Gujjars and Gaddis, who are known for their
heavy dependence on the forest.
Earlier, the 1.5-MW Koladi project near Khajjiar was abandoned by the
government because of its proximity to a wildlife sanctuary. This area
has much richer forests and wildlife as compared to the Koladi area and
if this project is allowed to come up, thousands of trees will get
felled for making a 5-km-long water channel, said Chand.
In the past three years,the government has sanctioned at least two
dozen mini-micro projects - some of these in the interiors of Chamba
district. Now when the companies are getting ready to start work, the
locals are enraged at attempts to use some of their secret and
traditional water sources, which will deprive them of consumptive use
once the companies divert the water for power generation.
Vishal Singal
Singal Hydel Consulting SHC
"Power House" # 892, Sector 12
Panchkula 134 112, HRY INDIA
Tel +91 9888188891, 9888288892
E-Mail: singa...@yahoo.com
Web: http://www.himurja.com
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